Judging from the amount of forum space questions about figure painting or conversions, or reviews take. I’m of the opinion that FSM magazine would probably do well adding more space for the topic.
I know I’ve read more than one member here say they’ve left the figure totally out of the model because of their inexperience with figure modeling. It’s a shame, because I’ve come to realize that a model without figures really loses not only a sense of proportion, but of ‘story’ as well.
I know that for me personally, figures and the resarch references I use for them have become an important part of my modeling experience.
I’ll have to disagree with going into detailed articles for figures. Finescale covers the basic modeling categories that started it all, armor, aircraft, cars, and ships. Finescale recently did a great article on how to paint figures. There are other magazines for figure modeling, and which provide more in-depth articles. I don’t see the reason for Finescale to cover figures in detail. Since Finescale has been trying to cram in multiple types of modeling, the articles have really been lacking, and filled with fluffy stuff. I feel that covering figures in detail would add more fluffy stuff. The people who write those figure magazines know exactly what they are doing and could provide more helpful information than the Finescale staff. Please don’t assume I’m saying the Finescale staff can’t build/paint figures, I’m just saying the people who write those figure magazines can do it better.
I’ll pay you a penny for your thoughts and I’ll keep the change.
I build only historical miniatures (a term much preferred to “figure builder”), I can say with a good deal of experience that the magazines on the current market that specialize in historic figures are poor (my opinion).
1 “Figurines” is all in French
2 “Figure International” by Andrea Press has the best photographs of any magazine, but the article content is poor
3 “Historical Miniatures Magazine” is fair at best. Lots of photos of other’s work, but little in the way of meaningful content.
FSM is in the unique position to provide insightful information into detailed figure builds and conversions, and I mean beyond altering a pose to stick a figure next to a plane or AFV. FSM has the opportunity to show historical miniatures in a new light. They can be sophisticated builds (I have built 54mm figures with over 120 individual parts); they can be quite sophisticated conversions, and they can be technically demanding painting projects. Since FSM tends to be a more utilitarian magazine for the average modeler, these skills should be widely and well received. I know I have read articles on AFVs and found a way to incorporate a technique into my “figure” building.
Do not planes and AFVs also have their own specialized magazines (“Military Miniatures in Review” comes to mind for AFVs)? Should FSM then stop publishing articles on AFVs? I have seen MMiR, and it is much more detailed in regards to AFV minutia than any FSM article on AFVs that I have ever seen (and I have every issue of FSM from 1982 to present).
I sincerely wish that FSM would publish more detailed figure articles. I know if they were to express an interest, I would submit content.
Boy, I never knew there were such little amount of information on figures out there. I’m just going by the phrase, you wouldn’t take your car to a body shop to work on your engine.
Finescale started with the main subjects of modeling. If Finescale didn’t do those subjects, it wouldn’t be around.
…okay, and you don’t think that a little space devoted to continued articles on figure building, painting or reviews would help and/or enhance your skills…this opposed to space devoted to some archaic, albeit ‘classic’ kit of a ballistic missile.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand what you’re saying; that figures have other magazines covering them…but c’mon, give some credit to the staff of FSM. I cannot believe that all they would be capable of is just another ‘fluff’ piece on the subject. Instead of throwing the figure modeler a ‘bone’ from time to time, I’m sure that the subject could merit a very helpful and encouraging column to further round out the skills of any modeler. It would probably be one of the first subjects I’d turn to…but that’s just me.